Typical Evening

Cole moves quietly through the crowd, despite his appearance. he manages to fade through the growing throng of people quite easily, and moves silently up behind the harpist closing his right fist. He wasn't totally against striking a woman, from his world women were just as dangerous and as deadly as many man. So he doesn't hold back when he brings his fist down towards the back of her head.

"Harp Sting?" Shard asks, glancing quizzically at Hetty, before turning to watch Cole weave his way through the crowd. "But I agree, manipulating one's thoughts and actions is intrusive and violating, however, even if Cole succeeds, there's no guarantee that her control will stop, or how long it'll last once she stopped playing."

“But at least she shouldn’t be able to alter what has already been done to our detriment. In theory… I’m not sure though. Mind control is not my area of expertise.” Hetty bites her lower lip as she thinks for a minute.

“It will hopefully at least keep the room from turning on us if she has to be neutralized. I think an explosion could go off and the crowd would still be buying drinks as long as she can’t sway them in another direction musically.” Standing, she smooth's out her skirts and looks around the room for any other potential problems.

Allyister Smiles and stifles a laugh at her comment, "As I'm well aware Ms. Barton, the Inn's history isn't entirely lost on me.

And nodding at the paperwork, "I believe you will, I'm not one to hide legalities, through clever wording and burying the conditions. I believe the straight line is often the best path to take."

"But pleasure of doing business can often be fun as having just one or the other, but why not make the best of both worlds?" He asks, lightly squeezing her hands in his.

"I'm glad I intrigue you, I just hope I can keep your interest and continue seeing that smile tomorrow night, let's say around eight?"

Eden Rose Laughs as she dances out from under Cole's would be blow and turns to him. "My, aren't you a big man? You think I didn't notice you and that my enchantments wouldn't just become stronger the closer you are to me?" She she says, in a low whisper as she continues plucking at the harp strings. "I see you are strong of mind as well as body, so I'll command you to return to your friends and tell them I'm just a harmless harpist spreading good music and cheer and there is no harm done."

Cole blinks, and his brow winkles at the young woman, suddenly feeling out place, like he was infringing on the woman and that everyone was suddenly watching him, when in fact he was still unnoticed by the crowd thanks to the illusion. But seeing the woman looking so Elogant, beatiful and innocent looking, he turns from her shaking his head, making his way slowly back to Hetty and Shard.

": Wrong, wrong, wrong. Wringing me out. Wrought right and rigid. Can't relax. Can't release...We were wrong, she's an innocent...." He says struggling with the words, before glancing back at the harpist, "No it's all wrong, she got into my head, stronger, louder the closer you near."

"This is beginning to seem like one of those 'pick-your-battle' times. Yes people are being controlled, but the only thing that appears to be harmed is their pocketbooks... which could be reversed if Ms. Barton is made aware of the situation once this," Hetty waves her hand indicating the room "wares off. Whenever that may be. It's not permanent, that much I can tell."

"I could get close but as she has caused no lasting physical harm I won't kill the woman. I might be able to disrupt her. It's a big might. The question is, at this point is it even worth playing my hand? Shard. It's your call as chances are the aftereffects will land most squarely on your capable shoulders."

Nodding in agreement wth Hetty. "I hate to say it, but I'm afraid you're right." Looking about the room, he frowns, "I'm resistant, but not completely immune, much like our friend Cole here," He says nodding to him. "I believe Cole's mind is strong....er, strange enough to keep himself from doing anything he's morally opposed to." He explains, "But there are way too many people here, and it may not be able to control me, but it is making me....like the asstrocrat...another hour or two of this I may end up wanting to marry him." He mutters.

Hetty pales, remembering her offhand remark to Cain earlier. She spots Anna by the bar and is releaved to see the woman with her back to Allyister. "That might be the goal. He wants to buy the inn... She doesn't want to sell. You get the idea."

Shard sighs relieved, "Oh thank the Maker, I was afraid he was going to try to court me, and I would not make a good wife.....I look horrible in dresses.... I really don't have the legs, or thighs for it, definitely not the bust."

Then turning to conspire with his new best friends, "So what do we do? Women," He pauses to look to Hetty, "No offense, "don't usually like to hear bad things about their new boyfriends as it were."

"Make him disappear?" Hetty shrugs. Relationship advice has never been her forté. Most of the time she had been too engrossed in her own studies to realize when someone was trying to flirt with her. The ones that did grab her attention tended to bow out rather quickly after realizing she was more focused on her career than on stroking someone else's ego.

The lyrics of Eden's song make it to her ears. She stares at the musician with a look of disgust mixed with a touch of respect. Hetty's magics are such where it takes someone powerful or incredibly skilled in looking for such things to recognize.

Following Hetty's gaze, he turns to glance back at Hetty, "I think she's onto us, but I don't think she means any harm, all I can think of doing to you is wrestling you, but not here, someplace soft and comfortable." Shard grins, slightly disappointed no one saw to make a song about him, ot at least not yet."

She gives Shard a stern look, though the effect is ruined by the twitch in Hetty's lips betraying her amusement in her effort not to smile. "Perhaps that is a topic to revisit when you are not under the potential influence of magic Mr. Gallows."

"Petals fall open as lips shape words that rhyme. Candlelight softens the edges, he sees you tied, but tenderly, loving in the letters of a word that would stop it, knots in satin scarves." Cole says, watching two's exchange. Turning to pick up his bag, he turns to the two once more, "I like to help and kill things that hurt others, if you need me, I'll be in my room meditating, getting her words and tongue out of my head and away from my ears." Then turning he makes his way through the throng of people.

Her second wind starting to ebb, Anna surveys the room seeing a slow trickle of people calling it a night. She decides it's probably time for her to retire for the evening as well. After everything that has gone on today she is beyond tired.

Pulling Helen, her 'second in command' so to speak, aside she asks the older woman to take care of finishing up for the night. With the additional serving girls in tonight, it shouldn't be too much of an imposition.

Pulling the paperwork from behind the bar Anna quietly ducks out of the room through the kitchen to the second floor and her own suite of rooms.

Shard turns his head to glance in the direction of Cole. "Sometimes, I can't figure out if he's reading my mind, or predicting future, with the very real possibility of his brain possibly being scrambled during his trip to our world."

Shard sighs, and helps steady her. "Yup," He sighs, "this is all your fault. I suppose one of us should go out there and see what it is all about, I'll loan you my bow and my quiver, while I'll take that nap and breakfast." He says smiling coyly.

"Maybe if we stay in here whatever is out there will go away." Hetty knows that that statement was probably very foolish and she at least will probably peek out to investigate rather than stay nice and cozy in the inn like a smart person would do. Not for the first time she wonders what she really signed up for in taking this job.

Still holding her in his arms, "Well I suppose if whatever is out there continues it's assault, it could potentially threaten the very foundation of the Inn, and as much as I love being close to you, I doubt either of us would enjoy having the Inn pinning us together in a closeness neither of us could ever hope achieve no matter how hard we try." He grins, glancing at the door, just as someone explodes through the door, covered in blood, with their clothing ripped and torn, and begins ranting about a monster heading towards the Inn.

"You underestimate the strength of the inn Shard. These walls will not be coming in any time soon, even without my additional support."

Hetty untangles herself from his arms as the man runs into the inn. Before Shard has a chance to do anything she puts a protective barrier around him that lays flush with his skin. "It will move with you. It's not as strong as my bubble but it will keep you more or less in tact under normal circumstances."

Shard straightens his coat, and smooths out his vest, and unshoulders his bow, which he grasps loosely in his right hand, he nods and makes his way to Hetty.

"You know, we'd be better at this if you didn't spend some much time checking out m'ass." He says with as smile, before hurrying outside to greet whatever hellish monster was attacking the Inn this time.